The Importance of Public Sculptures

Public sculptures and monuments have been a part of the American history since the late eighteenth century when foreign artists were known for producing these forms of art. The early part of the nineteenth century observed American artists patronizing sculptors for outdoor portraits. The entire credit for this form of art was given to the Europeans who brought with them the Neoclassical Aesthetic sense.

Since time immemorial, public sculptures have served the purpose of tools, which offer patriotic, moral, and cultural instructions. These are considered the symbols of pride, which have been successful in imparting a distinctive taste and aesthetic sense to the cities. Because of the Civil war of 1861-65, there erupted a huge demand for sculptures representing military sacrifice and heroism. This art movement sustained itself for several decades during which various monuments addressing themes of slavery, war, and reconstruction were produced. During this time, most of the sculptures were produced in bronze to bring out the importance of naturalism and dynamism.

The period succeeding the Civil war, saw a shift in the contemporary sculptures movement because of the growth of the bronze casting industry. The late nineteenth century saw a transition in the preferred medium of producing these forms of art from marble to bronze. This happened because bronze came to be considered as being more durable and tensile so that it could withstand the outdoor elements in a better manner. As the American outdoor sculpture industry rose, it also observed the development of an ancillary market of monument models. In effect, it led to the entering of public sculptures into private homes, in the form of statues, around the turn of the twentieth century. These statues were a replica of the actual models representing the vision of an artist.